More people injured on e-bikes
E-bike accidents have risen by 76% over the past five years, according to new data from the University of Southern Denmark and Odense University Hospital. Wearing a bike helmet is a simple and cost-effective way to prevent particularly serious injuries.
E-bike sales doubled between 2019 and 2023. According to Statistics Denmark, one in eight Danish families now owns an e-bike.
In the same period, e-bike-related injuries rose by around 76%, and the associated costs increased by about 73% on the island of Funen.
– The number of e-bike accidents increases year on year, and we’re spending more and more in the healthcare system treating people injured on their e-bikes, explains Jens Lauritsen, professor at the Accident Analysis Group, Department of Clinical Research and Odense University Hospital.
Meanwhile, the number of accidents involving regular bikes has remained unchanged.
One in three sustains serious injuries
The Accident Analysis Group, led by Jens Lauritsen, has compiled a report based on figures from Funen. In 2019, 201 people were treated at either Odense University Hospital or Svendborg Hospital for injuries sustained in e-bike accidents. By 2023, that number had increased to 382.
The rising costs
As the number of injuries has increased, so have the costs of police involvement, emergency response, treatment and aftercare. In 2019, the cost of e-bike accidents was around DKK 13.4 million. By 2023, that figure had risen to approximately DKK 23.3 million.
Roughly one in three of those injured sustained serious injuries, including broken bones, major wounds, nerve damage, concussions or internal injuries. This applied whether the cyclist was riding a regular bike or an e-bike.
– Only about half of the injured cyclists treated at the emergency departments at OUH or Svendborg Hospital from 2017 to 2024 were wearing a helmet, explains Jonas Ammundsen Ipsen, PhD and researcher at the Accident Analysis Group.
– It’s a real shame, as around one in three sustains serious injuries such as a concussion or broken bones.
Put your helmet on
– It’s not surprising that costs rise with the number of accidents, but it’s a costly and unfortunate trend – especially because we already have highly effective and inexpensive ways to prevent the most serious and expensive incidents, says Jens Lauritsen.
A recent Norwegian report shows that wearing a helmet halves the risk of head injuries or death and reduces the risk of facial injuries by 25%.
– Today, you can get a CE-marked bike helmet for around DKK 300. That’s a very low price for such effective protection, explains Jens Lauritsen, and continues:
– Our clear message remains: always wear a helmet when cycling.
Tips for your bike helmet:
Make sure your helmet fits properly – it should be the right size, well-adjusted and sit securely on your head. A local bike shop can help check this.
The helmet must be CE-marked. If it carries the EN 1078 mark, it meets the European safety standard for bicycle and skate helmets.
Replace your helmet if it has taken a hard impact or if any part of it is damaged.
Source: Danish Consumer Council Tænk
Meet the researcher
Jens Lauritsen is a professor at the Research Unit for Orthopaedic Surgery and chief physician at the Accident Analysis Group, SDU and OUH. The group has been recording and analysing accidents – including road traffic incidents – since the 1970s. He has worked in the field since the 1980s, when his licentiate thesis established the coverage level of the group’s work.
Meet the researcher
Jonas Ammundsen Ipsen holds a PhD from SDU and is a researcher with the Accident Analysis Group.